1) The first two stages in the development of civilized man were probably the invention of primitive weapons and the discovery of fire,although nobody knows exactly when he acquired the use of the latter.

在人类文明发展的进程中，最初的两个阶段可能是原始武器的发明和火的发现，但没有人确切的知道，人类是在什么时候学会利用火的。

2) Animal have a few cries that serve as signals,but even the highest apes haven’t been found able to pronounce words,even with the most intensive professional instructions.

动物会发出几种叫声作为信号，然而人们发现，即使是最高级的猿经过强化的专业训练也不能说出话来。

3) Agriculture made possible an immense increase in the number of the human species in the regions where it could be successfully practised.

在农业繁荣的地区，农业的发展使当地人口的数量大幅度增长。

4) These inventions and discoveries---fire,speech,weapons,domestic animals,agriculture and writing---made the existence of civilized communities possible.

火,语言,武器,家禽,农业和文字的发明,使得文明社会有了存在的可能.

5) There was progress---there were even two inventions of great importance,namely gunpowder and the mariner’s compass---but neither of these can be compared in their revolutionary power to such things as speech and writing and agriculture.

进步是有的,有两项伟大发明,火药和航海指南针,但是,就其革命性而言,这两项发明都不能同语言,文字,和农业相比.

6) Growth in electronic commerce is not a straight line trend---it come slowly at first,then accelerates rapidly.

电子商务的发展并非一帆风顺，而是经历了缓慢起步才加速前进的。

7) Nonetheless,although it may take six years to reach sales of 1 trillion dollars,it won’t take six more to reach 2 trillion,nor perhaps even two to expaned from 2 to 4 trillion dollars.

尽管可能需要六年时间才能使销售收入达到1万亿美元,但是从1万亿到2万亿美元则不会再用六年时间,而从2万亿到4万亿美元甚至用不了两年时间.

8) Electronic commence will turn the world into one giant shopping mall for products,services,and investments.

电子商务将会把世界变成一个集提供产品，服务与投资与一体的大型购物中心。

9) By 2005,more than half of the average employees’ working hours in advanced countries(like the United States and the United Kingdom)will be spent at home.

到2005年，发达国家雇员的平均工作时间将有一半以上在家中度过。

10) Employees will be,figuratively speaking,in the driver’s seat.

打个比方来说，雇员将会坐在驾驶座上，即取得主动权。

11) My friend’s daughter,Sarah,stood by me waiting her turn.

我朋友的女儿莎拉站在我身边，等着轮到他。

12) I was the only adult present who prompted "What do you say?"When the clown handed Sarah her balloon.The clown beamed at us,grateful he had actually been acknowledged.

当小丑把球递给莎拉时,我提醒她说:"你该说什么?"我是在场大人中唯一一个这么做的人.小丑微笑着看着我们,很感激有人对他表示谢意.

13) And what they are seeing is a society focused solely on acquisition---be it another drink in a restaurant or a space on a crowded freeway---without ever stopping to thank the source.

他们所看到的社会是一个完全专注于索取的社会——不管是饭馆还提供的一杯饮料还是高速公路上的一块空地——没有人停下来说声谢谢。

14) Most people today feel proud to have built a society that treats the races,sexes,and economic class more equally than ever before.And,yes,we have made real stride in these areas.

今天大部分人都建立了一个比过去任何时候都更平等地对待种族，性别，和经济阶层的社会而感到骄傲。是的，我们在这些领域确实取得了进步。